George Jackson Churchward

George Jackson Churchward CBE (31 January 1857 - 19 December 1933) was Chief mechanical engineer of the Great Western Railway (GWR) in the United Kingdom from 1902 to 1922.

Early career

Churchward was born in Stoke Gabriel, Devon and was educated at Totnes Grammar School. He apprenticed in the Newton Abbot works of the South Devon Railway and under Joseph Armstrong in the GWR's Swindon Works. At Swindon he rose from draughtsman through several positions, including Carriage Works Manager, and in 1897 was appointed Chief Assistant to William Dean. After 5 years as Chief Assistant, he succeeded Dean as Locomotive Superintendent. [Herring, p.21 (except apprenticeships)]

Chief mechanical engineer

In the 19th and early 20th century, railway companies were fiercely competitive. Speed meant revenue and speed was dependent on engineering. Churchward delivered to the GWR from Swindon a series of class-leading and innovative locomotives. Arguably, from the early 1900s to the 1920s the Great Western’s 2-cylinder and 4-cylinder 4-6-0 designs were substantially superior to any class of locomotive of the other British railway companies. On one occasion, the GWR's directors confronted Churchward, and demanded to know why the London and North Western Railway were able to build three 4-6-0 locomotives for the price of two of Churchward's "Stars". Churchward allegedly gave a terse response: "Because one of mine could pull two of their bloody things backwards!" [Tuplin (1971) p.74]

Churchward preferred locomotives without trailing wheels, to maximise adhesion on the South Devon banks of Dainton, Rattery and Hemerdon on the West of England mainline to Plymouth, then the Great Western’s most important route. Due to the weight and dimensional restrictions required to pass over all the GWR’s lines, he designed narrow fireboxes, but with good circulation. Combining high boiler pressures with superheating made efficient use of the high calorific-value steam coal from the mines in South Wales. Other refinements included feed-water distribution trays beneath the top-fitted clack boxes to minimize boiler stress and large bearing surfaces to reduce wear.

Churchward is credited [Tuplin (1971) pp.78-84, and Hollingsworth pp.70-71] with introducing to Britain several refinements from American steam locomotive practice. Among these were the tapered boiler and the casting of cylinders and saddles together, in halves. His choice of outside cylinders for express locomotives was also not standard in Britain for that time. Many elements of British practice were retained, of course. His locomotives for the most part used British plate frames, and the crew was accommodated in typical British fashion. The selection of a domeless boiler was more common to Britain than to the U.S.

In 1922 Churchward retired, and C. B. Collett inherited his legacy of excellent, standardised designs. These designs influenced British locomotive practice to the end of steam. Major classes built by the LMS and even British Railways 50 years later are clearly modest developments of Churchward's basic designs. The LMS Stanier Class 5 4-6-0 and the BR standard class 5 are both derived from his Saint class early examples of which date to 1902. [Tuplin (1971) p.94]

Churchward's name is used for Stoke Gabriel FC's home ground.

"City of Truro"

The first class of locomotives with which Churchward won success and world-wide recognition was the 4-4-0 'City' class, which soon became one of the most famous class locomotives in the world at the time. One of them, "City of Truro", became the first engine in the world to haul a train at 100 miles per hour in 1904 (although unauthenticated). He went on to build the 'County' class and the 'Star' class.

Death

Although Churchward had retired in 1922, he continued to live in a GWR-owned house near to the line at Swindon and he retained his interest in the company’s affairs. He never married. [Daniel] On 19 December 1933, now with poor eyesight and hard of hearing, he spotted a defectively-bedded sleeper on the down through line and walked over to check it. A fast express struck and killed him.

References

Notes

ources

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* Daniel, John. (2000). "G. J. Churchward". [http://www.greatwestern.org.uk/m_in_gwr_gjc.htm Great Western Archive] retrieved 2007-10-10.
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